May Helen Uppstad Austad

May Helen Uppstad Austad serves as a Researcher at the University of Agder's Department of Pedagogy within the Faculty of Humanities and Pedagogy. She is currently pursuing a public PhD through a collaborative research project with Lindesnes Municipality focused on working life education in lower secondary schools. Her role integrates academic research with practical municipal implementation, emphasizing co-creation with educators and students.

Her research centers on vocational pedagogy and school-to-work transitions, with particular expertise in mastery models (mestringsmodell), dropout prevention, and transversal skills development. She investigates how working life subjects can be effectively embedded within standard secondary curricula through action research methodologies, prioritizing inclusive practices for diverse learners and vulnerable youth populations.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals consistent focus on practical implementation challenges in Norwegian secondary education. Key themes include resource allocation for working life subjects, development of localized curricula through teacher-student collaboration, and frameworks for building workplace relationships to support school-work transitions. Her work demonstrates strong municipal-academic partnership approaches, with recurring emphasis on mastery-oriented assessment and adaptation strategies for at-risk students.

Austad actively disseminates findings through conferences like NordYrk and Profes Spring PhD symposium, though no formal scientific awards are documented. Her research is conducted within a project team involving Lindesnes Municipality personnel, teachers, and students, focusing on real-world application rather than theoretical development. While no formal advisees are listed, her collaborative methodology involves significant knowledge exchange with educational practitioners.